Homeland Season 2 Episode 12

The only thing I don't like about this series is the unnecessary time wastage. This serial could have easily been wrapped up in 8 episodes but there is a lot of unnecessary scenes. But the finish for season 2 was perfect.

Assuming season 3 would be even better, and the writer would continue to impress us by less flaws, the most likely candidate for the mole is Saul.

It can't be Carrie, nor Brody. The only. The rest likely candidates are dead. It has to be Saul, no one else.

Both Seasons are great, but the last episode of season 2 rocks!.. Can't wait for Season 3.

I really enjoyed this season finale, maybe not as much as last year's "Marine One" as far as climactic-ness but it was still really brilliant tying up all of the loose ends. The first bit of the episode, featuring the cabin from "the Weekend" featured a big ole' fakeout with Carrie going for groceries and Quinn holding a hunting rifle trained on Brody while he prayed by the lake. But Carrie found him at home alive and Quinn paid Estes a visit saying that he wouldn't kill Brody since after Waldon's death Brody is no longer a threat to the nation and is only a threat to Estes so ironically Brody helping kill Waldon saved his life. Quinn says that "he kills bad guys" and that if Brody or Carrie is ever hurt he will come back to visit Estes which is a nice writers' assurance of their safety for the time being. Carrie is posed the choice of a life with Brody or being a potential Station Chief for the CIA without him since she obviously can't have both and a choice that makes Saul see her as crazy for even considering Brody over the job seeing as how lonely he is. Nazir is put to rest a sea by the CIA in Muslim fashion with Saul in attendance while Carrie and Brody attend the man's worst enemy at Waldon's memorial service with Estes giving the Vice President a much needed smoke up the ass routine. But when Carrie and Brody sneak away to her office and she says that she's chosen him Brody notices that his car has been moved next to the memorial service. A bomb goes off from his car and Carrie holds Brody at gunpoint, not believing that he has nothing to do with it and when posed the question he points to Nazir letting himself be killed and "letting their guard I don't care how much of a mastermind you are, capturing your own operative, giving up Roya and his planned attack on the returning GI's, only to have Brody move his car and blow them up unawares at Waldon's wake seems utterly preposterous and giving Nazir way too much credit. But it seems plausible that Brody may have been in fact been a contingency should things go sideways with Roya or if Brody told Nazir about his affiliation with CIA Nazir could've switched gears and let Roya and the others be caught only to let himself get caught/killed and let them feel safe and then let Brody take 'em from behind. But all this is he?/isn't he? is what the show does best. Carrie takes him out of there since no one will believe his story when questioned and she says she has a way out of the country. She has a go-bag much like Dexter with an alternate *** with a new name and everything and she says that she can get Brody one and get them out of the States and up to Newfoundland via hiking and a fishing boat. Saul is on the scene and the new ranking officer after the explosion and he learns that everyone there was killed, Estes, Waldon's wife, Finn, all the Secretaries, multiple CIA personnel. At the Brody household while Brody is getting his new ID made Al Qaeda releases his recording all the way back from last season when they take responsibility for the attack and claim that they will attack the States as long as we remain at war with them. Not to whitewash Brody's possible involvement but he did seem genuinely surprised when his car was moved as well as when the tape was released, but how much he knew if he did do it, unless he's the world's greatest actor (Damian Lewis certainly is up there on the list) I don't see those moments being forced which speaks to me of ignorance of whole plan on the part of Nazir or total innocence remembering that there is still a mole inside the CIA (hopefully not Galvez after last week's misunderstanding that would be just lazy and cheap on the part of the writers) who could've moved Brody's car and planted the C4 from the shop in Gettysburg under it to frame him. But Brody gets out of the country and Carrie says that she'll stay to clear his name. Their romance is one of the main draws of the show and seeing him just walk off into the woods after saying that "it was love" had a gut reaction from me that he really does care for her and what she's done for him. I don't see Brody coming back in the near future of Season 3, at least until his name is cleared which Carrie will see to, if it wasn't him then she helped a terrorist escape custody. Also seeing Saul in a position of power was nice to see after having him be at the mercy of Estes and Waldon especially for the past few episodes. Also Saul's wife, Mira, agreeing to come back after most of the presidential cabinet has been blown up in a terrorist attack (that's what it takes?!) is obviously meant to be bittersweet for Saul who will need help to deal with this upcoming situation. While we were meant to think Brody would be offed by Quinn he was merely swept aside and Carrie's entrance back into Langley to see Saul and him smile when he saw her was a great place to end it. She does have some explaining to do about where she was, and not calling him and being like, "Hey I lived through that explosion" especially since "presumed dead" and her being fully alive Saul will figure out she was with Brody when it happened probably. But I guess we just have to wait until we learn if any of this can be traced back to Brody despite the evidence thrown out there with his confession that will surely make everyone turn a blind eye to the mole that probably moved the car. I know, I get a little too into the conspiracy and while this show delved into ridiculousness at times this season it was a still a tour-de-force quality wise to see the ever-changing dynamic of Carrie and Brody's relationship unfold in a new arena. What happens next without him they will either change the formula or break the mold, my hope is for the ladder, but Homeland is really well told and hopefully can continue to be that way for the future since many shows overstep their quality after one good season (Heroes, anyone?) or simply burn out (HIMYM, anyone?) Either way when it comes back next fall I fully expect to see quality storytelling and characters awaiting me.

Homeland shows that when they're on the game, nobody can produce better drama on TV. 'The Choice' is an extremely riveting culmination of everything that came before it, and also sets up a VERY interesting Season 3 that could go any number of directions. It's one of those deals where you sit there and watch the whole extended credits because what you just saw was THAT good..

best finale this year for sure

It's going to be a long wait until Season 3 comes around. The finale's final scene was a masterpiece. A really great show that I have enjoyed since the first episode..

What made me love Homeland in season 1 was uncertainty - everyone had their suspicions, but not even the viewer knew for sure which side Brody was on. As much as I liked season 2, I'll repeat myself by saying that the ending was too 'easy'.



The Estes/Quinn story line had me sitting at the edge of my seat - it was hush hush, but I somehow wanted it to be then he appeared in Estes bedroom and some sense of suspense/realism evaporated.



I'm a big fan of 24, but I loved Homeland more because of the down to earth story which bordered on realism. With this season finale I'm afraid the next season will go down a slippery slope and to be honest I didn't know what to expect after Nazir's death.



With the successful attack, Brody on the run, the aired footage of his confession, and the created hype and excitement, season 3 could go 2 ways:



1. (Want but unlikely) I definitely want to see more traditional intelligence gathering as we saw in the first season and the second; they will undoubtedly analyze any footage of Brody's car and where it was placed - but there is too much media hysteria for this to be done subtlely and since the attack already happened, there's nothing to prevent - they only need to find the terrorists responsible.



2. (Don't want but likely) It seems likely that season 3 will focus on the news surrounding the Brody family, the Mike/Jess relationship and all the stress the new family has to endure. Unfortunately the only way to go from here is to launch a manhunt for Brody unless they confirm that Brody is dead - but how will Carrie explain her absence to Saul? How will she explain what she did with Brody if she does?



I have a mess of suspicions; this season seemed too 'loud' and 'in your face'; I feel that each question has been answered and that many more arose when they shouldn't have - I seriously hope that they don't milk this. But then again, Homeland has surprised me once, twice and I hope it will again.

Great finally I did not see that somehow I still dont know if Brody is innocent not sure I trust him. I want to trust him but after two seasons still not sure about him. See you guys next season.

Saul was singing the Mourner's Kaddish in Hebrew. I thought this was beautifully counter-pointed by the middle-Eastern music. This brought a layer of intrigue to that scene that might be missed by others. ere's the translation of his prayer (song) in English for those interested:



"Glorified and sanctified be God's great name throughout the world which He has created according to His will. May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon; and say, Amen.



May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.



Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.



May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.



He who creates peace in His celestial heights, may He create peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen. "

A very powerful scene indeed. I, too, liked the slow and steady pacing of the first half with the punch and twist toward the latter 1/3 of the episode.



I also think Quinn is really our superhero and look forward to more of the character's refreshingly twisted point of view.

Loved so much about the finale, but nothing more than Saul's redemption - both personally and professionally as a result of tragedy. Mandy Patinkin is singlehandedly capable of keeping this show interesting going forward.



It's hard to imagine we'll see much of Brody or his family next season, but I don't mind that at all. Bring on Saul trying to lead the CIA post-bombing, with opposition from the Dara Dall / Peter Quinn side of the world.



While I don't think Brody's explanation of Nazir's plan completely holds up after the fact, it does at least make the kidnapping, skyping, pacemaker stopping and camping out seem *slightly* less absurd.

wow, an episode full of fantastic acting, a gripping storyline, what more could i want from a show?

Mandy Patinkin is the 'stand out' actor for this episode, he doesn't even need to speak, his face and body language tell a thousand words, just brilliant.

OMG, these last 2yrs i have always stood up for Saul, but now i don't know what to believe, i always knew whether Nazir lived or died the bombing would still be carried out & it was. I still cannot believe Brody is innocent in any of this & Carrie why did you let him go, of course we still have Quinn maybe he will track Brody down & who moved his car. I always remember Carrie saying there are leaks on the inside at the CIA, but Saul wasn't there at the memorial, I think i have been taken for a fool, Saul standing around the dead speaking in jewish i assume. I agree with some of the other reviews, could Saul's wife be involved & now she's want to come back. Estes is dead no great loss, Saul said to Carrie "You Dont Know A God Damn Thing" "Your The Smartest & The Dumbest Fucking Person I've Ever Known". I think now

that speaks volumes, i never saw this ending coming, it was jaw dropping, brilliantly done. Now for season 3.

What a way to end this season. Can't wait to watch the next season

If anyone thought even for a second that Abu faqin nazir's death wouldn't have a retaliation or play a role in a bigger plan yet to be revealed then u have been hoodwinked pretty good. This to me is the perfect play, we all knew that that memory stick that went missing at the end of the first season would eventually come back into play, just didn't know how. Killing all those people and David Estes and on top of that and claiming it was done by an American citizen a former marine at that is just wow...



I have to say tho, Brody can't catch a break now can he, just when redemption seemed so close to the point that he could actually tell his daughter what he was actually planning on doing that day, only for everything to turn to shit and we all know that she is eventually going to have to spill the contents of the conversation they had before he went to the funeral.



Quick qn, any1 wondering when the C4 was planted in his car? I have a few ideas. Still wondering were the show is going to in Season 3 he he, love love love it :D

So, is Saul's wife behind the bombing? Was it all a plot to get rid of the higher echelon so that Saul would lead the department and now she can return home and run the terrorists operation and keep Saul under a close watch? Did she want to know about Carrie because she fears her and her intuition and Saul's wife knows that Saul always listens to Carrie? Does she know Brody?



That is my impression that I got from her reaction during her call to Saul.



Did Brody know of the bombing and that is why he got Carrie out of the ceremony? I think so.

Not that there weren't some very good moments, but yeah. Uhh. We'll always remember you fondly, Homeland. Now you can go away.